Interleukin 2-dependent immunoregulatory function in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C.

To investigate the state of activation of T lymphocytes in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C, serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors (sIL-2R), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and expression of interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) on peripheral T lymphocytes were measured in 30 hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C, 14 hemodialysis patients without hepatitis, 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 41 normal subjects. A significant increase in sIL-2R levels was noted in all patients with chronic hepatitis compared to normal controls. This increase was even more significant in hemodialysis patients, while a less significant increase was also found in hemodialysis patients without hepatitis C viral infection. Expression of IL-2R on T lymphocytes was increased only in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis. All patients had low levels of serum IL-2. These findings show that a T-cell activation involving the IL-2 system is present in chronic hepatitis C and that this activation is more prominent in hemodialysis patients, probably due to additional extrahepatic factors.